Student Loans

Loans are processed through the University of Pittsburgh Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (OAFA), 412-624-7488. Submit your application as early as possible before the start of the term for which a loan is requested.

Scholarships

The Pitt Public Health Office of Student Affairs notifies department chairs and student services staff throughout the year about University or school scholarships. Students are then invited to submit an online application for consideration or departments are invited to nominate students. Application-based awards are also announced in the Weekly Update.

Traineeships and Assistantships

Graduate student assistants (GSAs), graduate student researchers (GSRs), teaching assistants (TAs), and teaching fellows (TFs) are students who receive support in return for specified duties while gaining teaching, teaching-related, or research experience under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

A traineeship is money from a training grant allocated to students to support advanced study in a specified field. A traineeship may provide full or partial tuition and/or living expenses. Usually, there is no service requirement. Several departments have traineeships available for students in particular concentrations.

An assistantship provides a full or partial tuition scholarship, a stipend, and individual health insurance coverage in exchange for performance of specified duties, usually in support of a faculty member’s research project. Assistantship appointments can be full or part-time. Each department may award a limited number of student assistantships, usually to doctoral students. Students may also be awarded an assistantship by another University department. There is no central listing of University assistantships.

A teaching assistant (TA) is a student who holds a teaching or teaching-related appointment made within the University regulations pertaining to teaching assistants. No teaching assistant shall be employed to teach post baccalaureate courses.

A teaching fellow (TF) is the same as a teaching assistant except that the teaching fellow is more educationally advanced or experienced, typically holding the equivalent of a master’s degree. TFs should not be assigned to teach graduate courses. Exceptions may be made only in rare cases where in the individual shows clear evidence of outstanding skills in specialized areas and when the individual is directly supervised by faculty.

Most traineeships and assistantships are awarded by departments and not at the school level.

Student Employment

Registered students can work in part-time student positions for a maximum of 20 hours per week in the fall and spring terms, and 37.5 hours per week in the summer term. Graduate students do not generally receive funding through the federal work-study program.

After creating a PittSource account (free of charge), students have access to postings for summer jobs and regular student employment. Postings include positions within Pitt Public Health, at other University departments, and through off-campus employers.

Students can also check with their departments, as opportunities can become available at different times with new research grants. Start by contacting your department student services staff.

International Student Options for financing

You must read the eligibility requirements for any award or loan carefully. At the time of admission, international applicants are required to submit certification of financial responsibility. Click here for other guidelines pertinent to international applicants and students.